'PATHETIC' SWINNEY DODGED SCANDAL HOSPITAL DEBATE

SNP leader accused of 'warped priorities' for 'grandstanding' on global affairs

- DAVID WALKER

JOHN SWINNEY was branded “pathetic” and told he had “warped priorities” after he missed a debate about the Glasgow hospital scandal to “grandstand” on international issues.

The First Minister spent the first two days of the week in London, handily avoiding scrutiny over the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH).

And on his return north of the Border yesterday, he made a speech in Edinburgh discussing the state of world affairs and pushing for an independent Scotland to join the European Union.

At the same time, MSPs were taking part in a Scottish Labour-led debate asking for documentation surrounding the construction of the QEUH to be published.

The debate began at 3pm, continuing until after 5pm, with Mr Swinney arriving in the chamber for only the last 15 minutes or so.

Last night, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: "Delivering a speech to undermine the UK and talk up his independence obsession is more important to John Swinney than defending his government's role in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital scandal, which is typical of his warped priorities.

"International affairs are not in the First Minister's remit. The deaths of children who acquired infections in a flagship hospital most definitely are." The £842million QEUH complex opened in Glasgow in April 2015, but NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) has since said it opened too early and faced design flaws. And it admitted infections of some cancer patients were probably linked to issues with the hospital water system and apologised to families.